Star Wars: Can 'The Rise of Skywalker' meet expectations?

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LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 13: Mark Hamill during the ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ photocall at Corinthia Hotel London on December 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Lack of vision

The Force Awakens didn’t set up the next two scripts. It was one movie, then came the next movie, and now the final movie. It looks like there is no plan to tell one connected story. Just to make three movies that have consecutive numbers in the titles.

In the first place, it seems wrong that Abrams didn’t simply write and direct the entire sequel trilogy. And while he was at it, have screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens) right there along for the ride.

I have previously discussed my problems with director Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Episode VIII). And, honestly, Johnson’s movie is terrible (just not special). But it lacked any real vision on what was supposed to come next. Abrams continued (via Fast Company):

"“But without getting in the weeds on episode eight, that was a story that Rian wrote and was telling based on seven before we met. So he was taking the thing in another direction. So we also had to respond to Episode VIII. So our movie was not just following what we had started, it was following what we had started and then had been advanced by someone else. So there was that, and, finally, it was resolving nine movies.”"

This isn’t surprising because this was the way that things had been done. Rian Johnson went and wrote a movie that picks up where The Force Awakens ends, but without any clear beacon as to what exactly comes next. Even taking the story, as Abrams stated, “in another direction.”

Why is this sequel trilogy so separate in its storytelling? The path was something equivalent to: ‘go in any direction you like because we have no exact plan.’ And that lack of cohesiveness applies even with the next installment. MTV News asked Rian Johnson how in the loop he is with Episode IX, and this was his response:

"“No, I’ve had a couple conversations with [J.J. Abrams], but I’ve really enjoyed, kind of, sitting back, waiting to get my popcorn on opening day. And see how things turn out. I cannot wait.”"

It is to be appreciated, as a fellow fan, that Johnson likes Star Wars and can’t wait to sit back and enjoy the next chapter. But Rian is now one of the main architects of this portion of the Skywalker saga. He shouldn’t have been relaxing. He should have been one of the writers on this next film – to continue building on what he did. At the very least, he should have had an outline of exactly what he saw forthcoming in The Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: Can ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ meet expectations?

By James F. Puzzuoli | Apr 15, 2019

Lack of vision